Refrigerator with regulation members

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a refrigerator including a storage chamber having a door at a front thereof; a first storage basket provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber and being opened and closed integrally with the door; and a second storage basket provided above the first storage basket in the lower portion of the storage chamber, wherein the first storage basket is provided with at least one regulation member to draw the second storage basket into the storage chamber when the door is closed. Since the storage baskets are completely drawn into the storage chamber, the refrigerator improves the convenience of use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2007-0019110, filed Feb. 26, 2007, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator provided with regulation members to regulate a complete drawing of a storage basket into the refrigerator.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, refrigerators are apparatuses that supply cool air generated by a refrigeration cycle to maintain the freshness of various foods stored therein for a long period of time. Refrigerators of various kinds, including general refrigerators having a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber, industrial refrigerators, Kimchi refrigerators to store Kimchi, and wine refrigerators to store wine, are produced now. Further, refrigerators having a thawing chamber to thaw frozen or refrigerated foods have been developed.

Refrigerators, which are generally used at home, are divided into a top-mounted freezer type refrigerator, a side-by-side type refrigerator, and a combination-type refrigerator according to a disposition of a refrigerating chamber and a freezing chamber and the installation structure of doors. In the top-mounted freezer type refrigerator, a freezing chamber is located at the upper portion, a refrigerating chamber is located at the lower portion, and a freezing chamber door and a refrigerating chamber door are correspondingly disposed at the upper and lower portions.

In the side-by-side type refrigerator, a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber are located side-by-side and a freezing chamber door and a refrigerating chamber door are correspondingly disposed side-by-side. An ice maker to produce ice is provided in the freezing chamber, and a dispenser to easily discharge ice produced by the ice maker to the outside of the freezing chamber is provided in the freezing chamber door. Such a side-by-side type refrigerator is suitable for satisfying large-capacity requirements, i.e., large capacities of the freezing and refrigerating chambers.

In the combination-type refrigerator, a freezing chamber is located at a lower portion and a refrigerating chamber is located at an upper portion. The freezing chamber is opened and closed by a drawer type freezing chamber door, and the refrigerating chamber is opened and closed by a pair of refrigerating chamber doors. Since an ice maker is installed in the refrigerating chamber and a dispenser is installed in the refrigerating chamber door, the combination-type refrigerator is advantageous in that water supplied to the ice maker is not frozen, compared with the side-by-side type refrigerator, in which the ice maker is installed in the freezing chamber.

Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-0117536 discloses a combination-type refrigerator. The combination type refrigerator disclosed in the above Publication includes a refrigerating chamber located at the upper portion of a main body and a freezing chamber located at the lower portion of the main body. The refrigerating chamber is opened and closed by a pair of refrigerating chamber doors, and the freezing chamber is opened and closed by a drawer-type freezing chamber door.

However, since storage baskets of the freezing chamber closed by the drawer-type freezing chamber door are located in the lower portion of the above conventional combination-type refrigerator, this refrigerator causes inconvenience of completely drawing the storage baskets into the refrigerator to a user.

SUMMARY

Therefore, one aspect of the embodiments is to provide a refrigerator, into which storage baskets are completely drawn into, to improve the convenience of use.

Additional aspects and/or advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a refrigerator, including a storage chamber having a door at a front thereof; a first storage basket provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber and being opened and closed integrally with the door; and a second storage basket provided above the first storage basket in the lower portion of the storage chamber, wherein the first storage basket is provided with at least one regulation member to draw the second storage basket into the storage chamber when the door is closed.

The at least one regulation member may be at least one protrusion contacting the second storage basket during a drawing of the first storage basket into the storage chamber.

The at least one protrusion may be formed on an upper end of the first storage basket and may contact a lower end of the second storage basket.

The first and second storage baskets may be provided with slide rails such that the first and second storage baskets are slidable into the storage chamber.

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a refrigerator, including a storage chamber having a door at a front thereof; a first storage basket provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber; and a second storage basket provided above the first storage basket, wherein the door is provided with at least one regulation member to draw the second storage basket into the storage chamber when the door is closed.

The at least one regulation member may be at least one protrusion protruded from a rear surface of the door.

The at least one protrusion may contact a front surface of the second storage basket during a drawing of the door into the storage chamber.

The first and second storage baskets may be provided with slide rails such that the first and second storage baskets are slidable into the storage chamber.

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a refrigerator, including: a storage chamber storing foodstuff to be cooled; and a plurality of storage baskets being drawn into and out of the storage chamber, a first of the storage baskets including at least one protrusion extending in a vertical direction from the first storage basket and contacting a second of the storage baskets disposed above the first storage basket when the first storage basket is drawn into the storage chamber.

The storage baskets may each include slide rails slidable at opposing sides of the storage chamber, the slide rails storing elastic force when the storage baskets are drawn out of the storage chamber.

The foregoing and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a refrigerator, including: a storage chamber storing foodstuff to be cooled; at least one storage basket being drawn into and out of the storage chamber; and a door opening and closing the storage chamber and including at least one protrusion extending from an inner surface thereof facing the storage chamber, the protrusion contacting the at least one storage basket when the door is closed to drawn the at least one storage basket into the storage chamber.

The at least one storage basket may include slide rails slidable at opposing sides of the storage chamber, the slide rails storing elastic force when the at least one storage basket is drawn out of the storage chamber.

The at least one storage basket may include a first storage basket and a second storage basket disposed above the first storage basket, the second storage basket being drawn into the storage chamber by the protrusion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a storage chamber of the refrigerator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a second embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a storage chamber of the refrigerator of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the annexed drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator in accordance with a first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a storage chamber of the refrigerator of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator 10 in accordance with the first embodiment includes a storage chamber 20 provided with doors 50 at a front surface thereof, a plurality of storage baskets 30 provided in the storage chamber 20, and protrusions 40 formed at any one of the plurality of storage baskets 30 and serving as regulation members to draw another one of the plurality of storage baskets 30 into the storage chamber 20.

The doors 50 are provided on the front surface of a housing 60 forming an external appearance of the refrigerator 10. A user opens and closes the doors 50, and then put articles into the refrigerator 10. The doors 50 include first, second, and third doors 52, 54, and 56.

The first and second doors 52 and 54 are provided at an upper portion of the refrigerator 10. Hinges 61 are respectively provided at corners of the first and second doors 52 and 54. Accordingly, the first and second doors 52 and 54 are rotated on the hinges 61 and are able to be opened and closed. A dispenser 62 and a home bar 64 are respectively formed in the first and second doors 52 and 54.

The third door 56 is provided at a lower portion of the refrigerator 10. The third door 56 differs from the first and second doors 52 and 54, which are rotated on the hinges 61 to be opened and closed, in that the third door 56 is opened and closed in a drawer manner along first slide rails 57 formed on both side surfaces of a first storage basket 31 connected to the third door 56, the first slide rails 57 being engagable with corresponding rails (not shown) disposed on opposing sides of the storage chamber 20. That is, since the first slide rails 57 are formed on both side surfaces of the first storage basket 31 connected to the third door 56, as soon as a user opens or closes the third door 56 by pulling or pushing a handle 58 provided on the front surface of the third door 56, the first storage basket 31 is opened or closed.

The storage chamber 20 is a space to receive articles, such as foods, to be stored. The storage chamber 20 is used as a refrigerating, freezing, or thawing chamber according to the operation mode, such as a refrigerating, freezing, or thawing mode. The storage chamber 20 forms a single space to store a large-sized article, but is generally divided into a plurality of spaces by the storage baskets 30 to effectively use the plurality of spaces.

The storage baskets 30 divide the storage chamber 20 into a plurality of spaces, and effectively receive articles, such as foods, to be stored. In this embodiment, the storage baskets 30 include a first storage basket 31 formed integrally with the third door 56, and a second storage basket 35 provided above the first storage basket 31.

The first storage basket 31 is provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber 20. A front surface of the first storage basket 31 is connected to the third door 56. Since the front surface of the first storage basket 31 is connected to the third door 56, the first storage basket 31 is opened and closed together with the opening and closing of the third door 56, as described above. The first slide rails 57 are formed on both side surfaces of the first storage basket 31. The first slide rails 57 include an elastic member (not shown), for example. The first slide rails 57 including the elastic member store elastic force when the first storage basket 31 is opened. The stored elastic force is used to completely draw the first storage basket 31 into the storage chamber 20 when the third door 56 is pushed. That is, even though a user does not completely push the third door 56 to the end, once the user pushes the third door 56 so that a designated portion of the first storage basket 31 enters the storage chamber 20, the first storage basket 31 is completely drawn into the storage chamber 20 by the elasticity of the first slide rails 57.

The second storage basket 35 is provided above an upper surface of the first storage basket 31. Since the second storage basket 35 is disposed in the storage chamber 20, it is possible to effectively use the inside of the storage chamber 20. An ice box (not shown), to which ice produced from an ice maker (not shown) attached to the upper end of the rear surface of the storage chamber 20 is supplied, is located in the second storage basket 35 provided above the first storage basket 31. Second slide rails 59 are formed on both side surfaces of the second storage basket 35. In the same manner as the first slide rails 57, the second slide rails 59 cause the second storage basket 35 to be completely closed using elastic force stored when the second storage basket 35 is opened.

The protrusions 40, which are formed on upper ends of the side surfaces of the first storage basket 31, serve as regulation members to draw the second storage basket 35 into the storage chamber 20. The protrusions 40 have a designated height (V) such that upper ends thereof contact a lower end of the second storage basket 35. The protrusions 40 may be molded integrally with the first storage basket 31, or be molded separately from the first storage basket 31 and then fixed to the first storage basket 31. The protrusions 40 are located at positions near the third door 56 so as not to interfere with the second storage basket 35 when the first and second storage baskets 31 and 35 are completely opened or closed. Therefore, during the opening and closing of the second storage basket 35, the protrusions 40 do not cause any inconvenience due to the interference with the second storage basket 35.

Hereinafter, an operation of the above-described refrigerator in accordance with the first embodiment will be described.

When a user wants to open the third door 56, the user grips the handle 58 of the third door 56 and pulls the handle 58 forward. When the third door 56 is pulled forward, the first storage basket 31 fixed integrally to the third door 56 is drawn out of the storage chamber 20 simultaneously with the opening of the third door 56.

When a user wants to draw the second storage basket 35 out of the storage chamber 20, the user pulls the second storage basket 35 forward under the condition that the third door 56 is opened. When the second storage basket 35 is pulled forward, the second storage basket 35 is drawn out of the storage chamber 20 along the second slide rails 59 formed on both side surfaces of the second storage basket 35.

When a user wants to draw the first and second storage baskets 31 and 35 into the storage chamber 20, the user pushes the handle 58 of the third door 56 in a direction opposite to the opening direction of the third door 56. When the third door 56 is pushed in, the first storage basket 31 fixed to the third door 56 is drawn into the storage chamber 20. When the first storage basket 31 is drawn into the storage chamber 20, the protrusions 40 serving as regulation members, formed on the upper ends of the side surfaces of the first storage basket 31 contact the lower ends of the side surfaces of the second storage basket 35.

When the user continuously pushes the third door 56 under the condition that the protrusions 40 contact the lower ends of the side surfaces of the second storage basket 35, the second storage basket 35 contacting the protrusions 40 is drawn into the storage chamber 20.

When the second storage basket 35 contacting the protrusions 40 reaches a designated point, the second storage basket 35 is completely drawn into the storage chamber 20 due to the elastic force stored by the second slide rails 59.

When the third door 56 is drawn in under the condition that the protrusions 40 are not provided, the third door 56 is closed, but the second storage basket 35 is not drawn in any more and is thus incompletely closed. Therefore, the storage state of articles received in the second storage basket 35 is poor, and ice produced from the ice maker (not shown) attached to the upper end of the rear surface of the storage chamber 20 is not supplied correctly to the ice box (not shown) provided in the second storage basket 35. However, when the protrusions 40 are provided, the protrusions 40 push the second storage basket 35 to a position where the second storage basket 35 can be completely closed by the second slide rails 59. When the second storage basket 35 is completely drawn in, ice (not shown) produced from the ice maker is supplied correctly to the ice box (not shown). Accordingly, the user does not have to directly push the second storage basket 35 separately from the third door 56.

FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively illustrate a refrigerator and a storage chamber formed therein in accordance with a second embodiment. Hereinafter, only parts in the second embodiment, which are different from those in the first embodiment, will be described. That is, some parts in the second embodiment, which are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, are denoted by the same reference numerals even though they are depicted in different drawings, and a detailed description thereof will be thus omitted because it is considered to be unnecessary. Further, parts in the second embodiment, which are modified from those in the first embodiment, will be denoted by reference numerals accompanied by ‘a’.

In a refrigerator 10 a in accordance with the second embodiment, protrusions 40 a, which are provided on a third door 56 a, serve as regulation members.

The protrusions 40 a are formed on an inner surface of the third door 56 a facing toward a storage chamber 20. The protrusions 40 a have a protruding length (H) enough to push an opened second storage basket 35 to move the second storage basket 35 to a point, to which an elastic force of second slide rails 59 is applied, when the third door 56 a is slidably closed. Two protrusions 40 a are provided such that each of the two protrusions 40 a is formed at the corresponding one of both sides of the third door 56 a to correspond to a width of a front surface of the second storage basket 35.

Hereinafter, an operation of the above-described refrigerator in accordance with the second embodiment will be described.

When a user pushes the third door 56 a in so that the third door 56 a is drawn to a designated distance, the protrusions 40 a formed on the third door 56 a contact the front surface of the second storage basket 35. When the user continuously pushes the third door 56 under the condition that the protrusions 40 a contact the front surface of the second storage basket 35, the second storage basket 35 reaches a point to which the elastic force stored by the second slide rails 59 provided at both side surfaces of the second storage basket 35 is applied.

The second storage basket 35, which is moved to the point to which the elastic force stored by the second slide rails 59 is applied by the protrusions 40 a, is completely drawn into the storage chamber 20. Accordingly, the user does not have to directly push the second storage basket 35 to the end of the storage chamber 20.

Although the above embodiments illustrate the regulation members formed at both sides of the upper surface of the first storage basket or both sides of the front surface of the third door, the positions of the regulation members may be modified according to lengths of the first and second storage baskets, etc.

Further, although the above embodiments illustrate two storage baskets, the number of the storage baskets may not be limited thereto.

As apparent from the above description, the present embodiments provide a refrigerator in which storage baskets are completely drawn into a storage chamber, thus improving the convenience of use.

Although embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage chamber having a door at a front thereof; a first storage basket provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber and being opened and closed integrally with the door; and a second storage basket provided above the first storage basket in the lower portion of the storage chamber, wherein the first storage basket is provided with at least one regulation member to draw the second storage basket into the storage chamber when the door is closed.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one regulation member is at least one protrusion contacting the second storage basket during a drawing of the first storage basket into the storage chamber.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the at least one protrusion is formed on an upper end of the first storage basket and contacts a lower end of the second storage basket.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second storage baskets are provided with slide rails such that the first and second storage baskets are slidable into the storage chamber.
 5. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage chamber having a door at a front thereof; a first storage basket provided in a lower portion of the storage chamber; and a second storage basket provided above the first storage basket, wherein the door is provided with at least one regulation member to draw the second storage basket into the storage chamber when the door is closed.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the at least one regulation member is at least one protrusion protruded from a rear surface of the door.
 7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the at least one protrusion contacts a front surface of the second storage basket during a drawing of the door into the storage chamber.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the first and second storage baskets are provided with slide rails such that the first and second storage baskets are slidable into the storage chamber.
 9. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage chamber storing foodstuff to be cooled; and a plurality of storage baskets being drawn into and out of the storage chamber, a first of the storage baskets including at least one protrusion extending in a vertical direction from the first storage basket and contacting a second of the storage baskets disposed above the first storage basket when the first storage basket is drawn into the storage chamber.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein the storage baskets each include slide rails slidable at opposing sides of the storage chamber, the slide rails storing elastic force when the storage baskets are drawn out of the storage chamber.
 11. A refrigerator, comprising: a storage chamber storing foodstuff to be cooled; at least one storage basket being drawn into and out of the storage chamber; and a door opening and closing the storage chamber and including at least one protrusion extending from an inner surface thereof facing the storage chamber, the protrusion contacting the at least one storage basket when the door is closed to drawn the at least one storage basket into the storage chamber.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the at least one storage basket includes slide rails slidable at opposing sides of the storage chamber, the slide rails storing elastic force when the at least one storage basket is drawn out of the storage chamber.
 13. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein the at least one storage basket includes a first storage basket and a second storage basket disposed above the first storage basket, the second storage basket being drawn into the storage chamber by the protrusion. 